Conducting and dispensing system for beer



April 20, 1937. H. ,1. SANDELL 2,078,026

CONDUCTING AND DISPENSING SYSTEM FOR BEER Filed July 29, 1955 luv i Patented Apr. 20, 1937 PATENT FF! 1.;

CONDUCTING AND DISPENSING SYSTEM FOR BEER Harry I. Sandell, Ashby, Minn. Application July 29, 1935; SeriaL-No. 33,698

I 10 Claims.

- This application is a continuation in part of my copending application Serial- No. 696,845 filed November 6, 1933 My invention provides a simple and highly efficient improvement in a vacuum insulating, conducting and dispensing system for beer and other liquids to be used with mechanical refrigeration and has for its object to simplify and improve the efllciency thereof especially in view of the delivery of cold beer from a storage refrigerator located at a remote point to a dispensing faucet at another with no exposed dispensing pipe.

The invention also provides an extremely simple and efiicient means whereby the normally used beer dispensing coil and coil box or cooling and bleeding tanks with their complicated float mechanisms can be eliminated. The elimination of the above items makes a more compact and 20 sanitary installation with a minimum cost of installation.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a combination of devices comprising a closed insulating and conducting stack or conduit containing space or vacuum space extending from a source of supply to a dispensing outlet for the purpose of constantly maintaining a low uniform temperature along the dispensing pipe encased within the stack.

Some of the other chief objects of the invention are (a) minimumcost of refrigeration, (b) maximum speed of draught due to positive continuous uniform temperature along the entire line of draught, (0) positive automatic regulation of temperature of beerdrawn regardless of time or amount drawn, (d) high degree of compactness for a maximum dispensing capacity.

In the accompanying drawing, which illustrates the invention,- like characters indicated like parts throughout.

bar, 3 a counter dispensing unit provided with drip pan 4, faucet 6 and bar drainer 5.

Numeral 8 indicates the closed insulating and conducting stack or conduit containing space which extends from the source of liquid supply to the counter dispensing unit or outlet, the space contained in stack 8 may be either vacant, dead air, evacuated, gas free, or vacuum. Numeral I is the dispensing pipe which extends from the Referring to the drawing, which 'is a vertical beercontainer A which is located in storage refrigerator I up through stack 8 and'through the space contained therein to dispensing faucet t. Stack-8 is fitted at its upper and lower ends with sealed closure caps l5 as to form a closed sub- 5 stantially gas tight chamber adapted to hold either vacant, dead air, evacuated, gas free or vacuum space, these caps are equipped with means E for making tight joints at points of entry and exitof dispensing pipe I and refrigerating pipe 9, the latter is the means I provide for maintaining a uniform low temperature within stack 8. The degree of temperature within the stack 8 is regulated automatically by an adjustable temperature regulator II which is controlled by thermostatic bulb In, which is also fitted with a tight connection means E. Stack 8 is covered with insulation D, numeral i 2 is a capped aper-, true to permanently insert a temperature thermometer if desired.

Numeral l3 indicates a capped exhaust aperture through which the air or space contained in the closed chamber may be evacuated by external means. As an external means of evacuating the space in stack 8 I prefer an exhaust pump which attaches to aperture [3. The space contained in a stack 8 may also be internally evacuated by temperature and other means, also by the refrigerating pipe 9 reducing the oxygen contents of the dead air contained in stack 8 when 30 no other evacuation has been made. While the amount of vacuum created by refrigerating pipe 9 isv very small I have discovered that it makes a much more eificient installation than one composed of an insulated open stack or a stack containing pressure. Numeral I4 is a sewer connection for drip pan 4. Numeral 9A is a coiled trap or refrigerant separator to prevent sweat back. 9A also acts as a means of temperature holdover between cycles of refrigeration.

Explanation: In beer cooling and dispensing, the beer storage refrigerator is usually placed in the basement or other convenient places that require considerable piping and a coil to carry the beer and cool it from the storage refrigerator to the counter dispensing coil box. When this system is used, the beer leaves the cold refrigerator and runs exposed, then enters the beer coil, but due to. the different and uneven temperatures along the line of draught the beer cannot be drawn or controlled at the faucet without considerable waste of beer, also the cost of refrigeration is considerable more due to the necessity of coolingthe beer again in the counter dispensing box and the greater area of exposed surface involved.

It is of course understood that beer is a very rect to the dispensing faucet Ii by the dispensing pipe 1 extending through the space enclosed in the insulating and conducting stack 8. If beer is being drawn at frequent intervals it refrigerates the stack itself, if at a period that beer' is not being drawn, say from closing time at night until opening time in the morning the automatic temperature regulator (which is set to provide the same degree of temperature within the stack 8 as that in refrigerator i) will leave enough refrigerant through it and the refrigerating pipe '9 to constantly maintain a uniform low temperature within the stack 8. If beer is kept at the correct uniform temperature from the barrel to the dispensing faucet as it is with this system it can be drawn very fast, without waste and with its natural flavor, as there is no chance of any thermal agitation (uneven temperature) anywhere in the line of its draught.

From the foregoing it will be obvious by reason of the space or vacuum space the dispensing and refrigerating pipes are extended through in my improved system that the cost of refrigerating the stack is very low, and the other notable advantages previously designated as some of the chief objects of the invention are realized.

- It will be understood that the device or system described herein as the preferred form is capable of modifications within the scope of the invention disclosed and claimed. For example the so called stack or conduit might be horizontally extended to connect with a refrigerator on the same floor or level, it therefore follows that the term stack is used in a broad and liberal sense.

Similarly while I have shown the invention as.

embodied in a system for dispensing beer it is obvious from what has been saidin the description of the closed insulating and conducting stack or conduit that the invention is applicable to a great variety of uses, such as cooling or conducting any fiowing liquid having a variable or intermittent flow or variable temperature, or both where it is desired to closely regulate the temperature of a cooled liquid between a source of supply and an outlet.

Also while I have shown the refrigerating pipe 9 entering stack 8 at the top it can be made to enter and leave at either the top or bottom of stack 8. In this case the temperature regulator bulb I0 is attached to the return line of refrigerating pipe 9 just outside of stacks. If desired stack 8 can be made in the form of a short drumlike, closed casing containing space and enclosing the liquid supply and refrigerating pipes. It will be understood that refrigerating pipe 9 is connected in communication with a source of refrigerant supply.

What I claim is:

1. In a system of the class described, the com-- bination comprising a stack or conduit extending from a source of liquid supply to a dispensing outlet, said stack having end closure members as to form a closed substantially air tight chamber, a dispensing pipe and a refrigerating pipe extended through said chamber and members,

the latter being provided with means of tight connections at points of entry and exit of said pipes, means adjustable, thermally controlled and in thermal contact with the interior of said chamber to regulate the temperature therein.

2. In a system of the class described, the combination comprising a stack or conduit extending from a source of liquid supply to a dispensing outlet, said stack having end closure members as to form a substantially vacuum tight chamber, a dispensing pipe and a refrigerating pipe extended through said chamber and members, the latter being provided with means of tight connections at points of entry and exit of said pipes,

I means to create a vacuum within said chamber,

means adjustable, thermally controlled and in thermal contact with the interior of said chamber to regulate the temperature therein.

3. In a system of the class described, the combination comprising a stack or conduit extending from asource of liquid supply to a dispensing outlet, said stack having end closure members as to form a closed substantially air tight chamber adapted to be evacuated, a dispensing pipe and a refrigerating pipe extended through said chamber and members, the latter being provided with means of tight connections at points of entry and exit of said pipes, one of said members provided with an exhaust aperture through which the air in said chamber may be evacuated by external means, means adjustable, thermally controlled in thermal contact with the interior of said chamber to regulate the temperature therein.

4. In a system of the class described, the combination comprising a stack or conduit extending from a source of liquid supply to a dispensing outlet, said stack having end closure members as to form a closed substantially gas tight chamber adapted to hold gas free space, a plurality of dispensing pipes and a refrigerating pipe extending through said chamber and members, the latter being provided with means of tight connections at points of entry and exit of said pipes and an exhaust aperture through which gas free space may be created within said chamber by external means, means adjustable, thermally controlled and in thermal contact with the interior of said chamber to regulate the temperature therein.

5. In a system of the class described, the combination comprising a, stack or conduit extending from a source of liquid supply to a dispensing outlet, said stackhaving end closure members as to form a closed substantially air tight chamber, a dispensing pipe and a refrigerating pipe extended through said chamber and members, the latter being provided with means of tight connections at points of entry and exit of said pipes, said refrigerating pipeproviding means of internally creating a partial or slight vacuum within said chamber, means adjustable, thermally controlled and in thermal contact with the interior of said chamber to regulate the temperature therein.

6. In a system of the class described, the combination comprising a stack or conduit extending from a source of liquid supply to a dispensing outlet, said stack having end closure members as to form a closed substantially vacuum tight chamber, a dispensing pipe and a refrigerating pipe extended through said chamber and members, the latter being provided with means of tight connections at points of entry and exit of said pipes, one of said members provided with 1 an exhaust aperture through which said vacuum 5 may be created within said chamber by external means, means adjustable, and thermally controlled .in thermal contact with the interior of said chamber'to regulate the temperature therein, and means of a tight connection at the point 10 of entry of said thermal contact.

20 one of said members provided with an exhaust aperture through which evacuated space may be produced within said chamber-by external means, and a temperature control means attached in communication with said refrigerating pipe.

25 for controlling the flow of refrigerant through said refrigerating pipe. i a 8. A gas tight vacuum apparatus, comprising an elongated casing having end closure members having end closure substantially air tight chamber, a dispensing pipe extending through said chamber and members,

to form a closed substantially vacuum tight chamber, a liquid pipe and a refrigerating pipe extended through said chamber and members, said refrigerating pipe including a trapped coil or refrigerant separator to assist in prevention of sweat back, means to create a vacuum within said chamber, means to control the flow of refrigerant. through said refrigerating pipe, means of a. refrigerant source of supply.

- 9. In apparatus for conducting liquids, comprising an elongated casing extending from a source of supply to a pensing outlet, said casing embers to form a closed a refrigerating-pipe extending into said chamber,

said refrigerating pipe making its entry and exit through one of said members, means of tight connections at points of entry and exit of said pipes, means in thermal contact with the exit or return line of said refrigerating pipe to control the flow of refrigerant through said last named pipe.

10. In apparatusior conducting liquids as in claim 9, and wherein a vacuum is created in said chamber byexacuation of said air, means to evac-' HARRY J. BANDELL uat'e said air. 

